Feeler mechanism for looms



M. L. STONE.

' FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 19, 1920.

v Patented Feb. 22,1921.,

2 SHEETSS HEET I- Invenfior M. I... STONE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

APPLICATION FILE-'4 MAR. 19, 1920.

1,369,489, Patented Feb. 22,1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MELVIN L. STONE, OI LAWRENCE. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER CORPORA-TION, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION O MAINE.

FEELER MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1921.

Application filed March 19, 1920. Serial No. 367,040.

, nisms for looms, through the agency of whichfilling replenishment iseffected prior to the complete exhaustion of the filling in the activeshuttle.

The feeler mechanism of the present invention is of that type whereinthe feeler is mounted for -m0vement longitudii'ially of the shuttle oralong the surface of the filling carrier or bobbin when the filling inthe shuttle has reached a degree of substantial exhaustion, andassociated therewith is a train of mechanism for effecting replenishmentof filling when the feeler is thus moved.

The feeler mechanism must be sensitive. It should respond to asubstantial exhaustion of filling in the shuttle and call the changewhen the filling that remains in the shuttle is of an amount toconstitute a minimum waste. On the other hand, it must be sensitive,also, to the presence of a working supply offilling in the shuttle on adetect ing beat. Failure in either of these respects will cause eitherunnecessary waste of valuable yarn, or imperfect cloth. An importantfeature of the present invention, therefore, consists of a safety devicewhich normally permits the feeler to perform its feeling function andrespond to the substantial absence of filling on a detecting beat, butwhich Will prevent accidental movement of the feeler laterally or in adirection longitudinally of the shuttle when suflicient filling remainsin the shuttle to continue the operation of weaving perfect cloth. Owingto the rapid-movement of parts, especially the beating-up action of thelay during the weaving operation, the feeler is liable to be deflectedlaterally when the filling approaches but has not yet reached asubstantial degree of exhaustion; and one of the objects of the presentinvention is to provide a safety device which is normally positioned topermit the exercise of the feeler function, but which is moved into aposition to prevent functional movement of the feeler accidentally whena working supply of fillmg is present in the shuttle.

In the practical development of the present feeler mechanism, the feelercarries a dog which is adapted to be moved laterally by the feeler whenit is laterally displaced,

and a safety device is provided which is normally positioned to permitsuch lateral movement of the dog by the feeler, and is moved into aposition to prevent such lateral movement of the dog by the feeler whenthe shuttle contains a working supply of filling on a detecting beat.

The invention as above generally outlined, together with other featuresand noval combinations of parts will be hereinafter .described inconnection with the accompanying drawings which show one good, practicalform thereof.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective View of the feeler side of aloom, some of the parts being omitted for clearness of illustration;

= Fig. 2 is a plan View on an enlarged scale, showing the action of thefeeler mechanism when a working supply of filling is present in theshuttle on a detecting beat;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2, showing the action of thefeeler mechanism when filling=is substantially exhausted on at detectingbeat;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of portions of the feeler mechanism showingthe relation of parts when replenishment of filling is called; and

Fig. '5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3:

The feeler and its associated parts are mounted on the feeler carrier,which is itself supported for movement toward and from the front of theloom. Two general forms of feeler carriers are now well known in theart, one a pivotally supported carrier, and

. may be properly adjusted.

verse of rock shaft 3 which is of usual construction, and which, byrocking movement, calls into action the replenishing mechanism, which,being well understood in the art, ne'eds no special description herein.

Rising from the transverse or rock shaft 3 is the arm 4 having pivotedthereto at 5 the latch 6, the rear end 7 of which is adapted.at times tobe engaged by an operating member'S which may be connected to some goingpart of the loom and which, in the present illustration, is shown asconnected to the cam follower or weft hammer.

' The lay 9, has the usual shuttle-box 10 for the reception of theshuttle 11, in whichis mounted the filling carrier 12 having woundthereon the filling 13. The front wall of theshuttle-box is slotted at14, and the adjacent wall of the shuttle is'also provided with a slot 15which, when the shuttle is in the detecting box, registers with the slot14, as usual in this class of looms.

Extending from the shipper stand 16 is the slotted bracket 17 to whichmay be adjustably-se'cured the bracket 18 for supporting the feelerstand 19. In the present instance, the feeler stand 19 is secured to thebracket 18 by the clamping screws 20 which pass through a slot 21 in thefeeler stand, the construction being such that the feeler standThebracket 18 is adjustably secured to the slotted arm 17 by a suitableadjusting bolt 22.

Mounted in the feeler stand 19 for movement toward and from the front'ofthe loom is the feeler carrier 23' which is normally as usual.

Pivotally mounted a; the feelei stand 23' at 25 is the actuator 26, the.front end portion of which has a fan-tail 27 adapted at times, as willpresently appear, to engage a transmitter 28 for calling into actionthereplenishing mechanism by movement of the transmitter 'frontwardly.Adjustably connected to theactuator 26 is the threaded bolt 29 carryinga'roller30 and provided. with a check nut 31 whereby the position of theroller 30 may be adjusted relative to the actuator 26. The feelercarrier 23 extends rearwardly of the actuator 26 and has pivotallmounted thereon at 32, Figs. 2 and 3, the eeler 33, the rear engagingend 34 of which is shaped to engage and sink into the filling when aworking supply is present in the shuttle on a detecting heat. A springnormally holds the feeler 33 in feeling position against a stop 35, andin the present instance the spring is indicated at 36 as passed aroundthe pivotal support 32 and having one end secured to the feeler by a pin37 and its other end secured to the feeler carrier 38, the constructionbeing such that the feeler is normally held in its feeling position, asindicated in Fig. 2, but with permissive lateral displacement by thefrontward pressure of the surface within the shuttle, owing to theoffset position ofthe pivotal support 32.

The feeler 33 is extended frontwardly from its pivotal support 32, as at39, and carries a dog which, in the present instance of the invention,is pivotally mounted to the frontwardly-extending portion 39 of thefeeler at 40. The dog 41 has a laterally-extending beak 42, and isnormally under the influence of a spring 43 tending to hold the dog inposition as indicated in Fig. 2,'with the stop 44 bearing against theside ofthe feeler arm 39.

The beak 42 has a rounded or cam surface 45 which serves to turn the dogupon its pivotal support when the feeler is laterally displaced, as willmore fully appear. r

The dog 41 has a cam portion 46 inclined as indicated in Fig. 5, andadapted to ride under the roller 30 of the actuator when the dogisturned upon its pivotal support, the construction being such that whenthe cam or incline 46 is moved under the roller 30 from the positionindicated in Fig. 2 to that indicated in Fig. 3, the actuator 26 will beplaced in a position to engage the transmitter 28 as the feeler carrier=moves front wardly on a detecting beat.

The feeler carrier 23 has mounted thereon a safety lock which isprovided with an abutment and a recess and is normally so positionedthat the recess is opposite the beak of the dog to permit lateralmovement of the dog, should the feeler be moved longitudinally of theshuttle or displaced laterally. If a suflicient amount of filling ispresent in the shuttle on a detecting beat to continue weaving, it isdesirable that the dog be prevented from such lateral movement; and tothis end the safety lock is moved to position the abutment opposite thebeak of the dog to prevent its lateral movement on a detecting beat.

In the present instance of the invention, the :teeler carrier isprovided with the guiding lugs 47 through which extends the sliding bar48 constituting a part of the safety lock. A spring 49 having one endbearing against the front lug 47 and its other end bearing against acollar'or lug 48* on the safety lock normally acts to hold the safetylock in its rearward. position, substantially as indicated in Fig. 1.The slide 48 has adjustably connected to its rear end the bunter 50which, on each detecting beat, is adapted to be struck by a part movablewith the lay, and preferably by the filling in the shuttle, as indicatedin Fig. 2.

The safety lock or slide 48 carries a block 51 which is provided with anabutment 52 on the side thereof adjacent the beak of the dog, and alsois provided, with a slot 53 into which the beak of the dog may pass whenthe safety lock is properly positioned for this purpose. Theconstruction of parts curved surface 45 of the beak 42 will ridealongthe edge of the slot or abutment 52 and cause the dog- 41 to be turnedon its pivotal support 40 to thereby operatively position the actuatorfor engagement with the transmitter as the feeler carrier movesfrontwardly.

From the construction thus far described, it will be apparent that thefeeler 33 is normally free to be moved laterally, and that the beak 42of the dog is opposite the recess in the safety lock, so that on adetecting beat, the feeler is free to perform its feeling functionunrestrained by the.

safety lock.

The sudden blow of the surface within the shuttle against the end of thefeeler on a detecting beat is liable to displace the feeler, even whenthere is yet sufficient filling in the shuttle to continue weaving; andthis may happen even though the feeler itself may enter into the fillingto some ex tent. that the feeler be prevented. from thus erroneouslycalling into action the replenishing mechanism. Such accidental orundesirable movement of the feeler is prevented by the position assumedby the safety lock which is moved frontwardly to present the abutment 52opposite the end of the beak 42. as shown in Fig. 2, when, on adetecting beat, a working supply of filling still remains in theshuttle.

The parts being in normal feeling position, as indicated in Fig, 1, withthe slot or recess 53 of the safety lock opposite the beak 42 of thedog, if a working sup ly of filling is present in the shuttle, as the aymoves frontwardly, the end of the feeler will sink into the filling andwill be held from movement longitudinally of the shuttle under ordinaryconditions. As the end of the feeler sinks into the filling the bunter50 of the safety lock will engage the filling mass and be movedfrontwardly on the feeler carrier, thus moving the slot or'recess 53frontwardly of the end' of the beak 42 and presenting to the beak theabutment 52 of the safety lock, thus effectively locking the feeler fromaccidental lateral displacement when the full pressure of the surfacewithin the shuttle is exerted upon it.

Should the filling be substantially exhaust-' ed on a detecting beat,however, the end of Under these conditions it is desirable.

the feeler will first engage the filling carrier or bobbin and bedisplaced laterally into the position substantially as indicated in Fig.3; and since the opening or recess 53 is at this time opposite the beak42 of the dog, the end of the dog will enter into the recess and itscurved surface 45 will ride along the end wall of the recess, thuscausing the dog to be turned upon its pivotal support 40 and itsinclined or cam portion 46 to be moved beneath the roller 30 of theactuator, to thereby operatively position the actuator relative to thetransmitter and effect replenishment of filling.

Any one of a plurality of trains of mechanism may be introduced betweenthe trans mitter 28 and the latch 6 for placing its to the loom frame isthe rocking arm 58 having the adjustable shoe 59 provided with the camsurface 60 over which the transmitter 28 is moved as it travelsfrontwardly, to thereby turn the rocker arm 58 upon its pivotal support.The rocker arm 58 has one end of it at 61 extended beneath the latch 6,the construction being such that upon rocking movement of the arm 58,the end of the latch 6 will be positioned for engagement by theoperating member 8 as the latter moves frontwardly to thereby effectreplenishment of filling.

The actuator 26 may have its fan-tail end 27 normally held in raisedposition relative to the transmitter 28 by the usual yielding pin 62which will yield downwardly when the dog 41. is turned upon its pivotalsupport by lateral displacement of the feeler when filling issubstantially exhausted on a detecting beat, I

What is claimed is 1. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combmatlon ofa feeler carrler, a feeler lateral displacement thereon, a dog pivotallymounted on the feeler and having a laterally extending beak, asafetylock having a beak receiving recess normally positioned to permitentrance of the beak of the dog and displaced frontwardly to prevententrance of the beak when a working supply of filling is present on adetecting beat, and means positioned by the dog when it enters the saidrecess to effect replenishment of filling.

3. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler carrier,a feeler pivotally mounted thereon for lateral displacement, a dogmounted on the feeler and having a laterally-extending beak, a safetylock mounted on the feeler carrier for frontward displacement when aworking supply of filling is present on a detecting beat, an abutment onthe safety lock which is normally held out of the path of lateralmovement of the beak by the feeler and which is moved into'a position toobstruct lateral movement of the beak and prevent accidental movement ofthe feeler when sufficient filling remains in the shuttle on a detectingbeat to continue weaving.

4. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the.

combination of a feeler carrier, a feeler mounted on the feeler carrierfor lateral dis placement thereon by the frontward pressure when thefilling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat, a dog mounted onthe feeler, a safety lock mounted on the feeler carrier and normallypositioned to permit movement of the feeler longitudinally of theshuttle and movable by the frontward pressure of the filling on a detecting beat to a position to prevent such movement of the feeler byobstructing the movementof the dog when a working supply of filling ispresent in the shuttle on a detecting beat.

5. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

' combination of a feeler carrier, a feeler mounted on the carrier forlateral displacement when the filling is substantially exhausted on adetecting beat, and a safety device to prevent accidental lateraldisplacement of the feeler when a working supply of filling is presenton a detecting beat comprising a dog mounte'd on the feeler and a safetylock which is normally positioned to permit lateral movement of the dogby the feeler and which is moved into a position to obstruct the lateralmovement of the dog by the feeler when a working supply of filling ispresent on a detecting beat.

6. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedfor movement toward and from the front of the loom and in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle and held from movement longitudinally ofthe shuttle on a detecting beat by engagement with the filling untilsubstantial exhaustion thereof, and a safety device comprising a locknormally positioned to permit movement of the feeler longitudinally ofthe shuttle on a detecting beat and movable-into locking position toprevent such longitudinal movement in case a working supply of fillingis present in the shuttle on a detecting bea 7. In a feeler mechanismfor looms, the combination of a feeler mounted for movementlongitudinally of the shuttle on a detecting beat and held from suchmovement by sinking into the filling until the filling is substantiallyexhausted, and a safety device which is normally positioned to permitsuch longitudinal movement of the feeler and which is moved intoposition to prevent accidental movement of the feeler longitudinally ofthe shuttle when a working supply of filling is present on a detectingbeat.

In a feeler mechan sm for looms, the combination of a feeler, a feelercarrier, an

actuator mounted thereon, a dog connected filling is substantiallyexhausted on a detecting beat, a dog mounted on the feeler and having acurved beak, a safety lock having an abutment and a: recess and normallymaintained in a position with the recess opposite the beak andmovable'to present the abutment opposite the beak to prevent accidentalmovement of the feeler when a working supply of filling is present on adetecting beat.

10. A feeler mechanism comprising a feeler, a dog mounted on the feelerand having a curved beak, a safety lock having a recess and an abutment,the former of which is presented for the entrance of the curved beak toeffect replenishment of filling when that in the shuttle issubstantially exhausted on at detecting beat, and the latter of which ispresented to the beak when a working supply of filling is present on adetecting beat.

11. A feeler mechanism, comprising a feeler carrier, at feeler mountedon the feeler carrier for lateral displacement, a dog movably mounted onthe feeler and having a beak, a safety lock with respect to which thebeak is moved by the feeler when it is displaced laterally on adetecting beat to cause the beak to ride along the wall of the lock andcause the dog to be moved relative to the feeler to effect replenishmentof filling.

12. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

combination of a feeler; mounted for movement in a directionlongitudinally of the shuttle and held from such movement by the fillingon a detecting beat until substantial exhaustion thereof, a do carriedby the feeler, and a safety device which is moved on each detecting beatinto a position to prevent filling replenishing movement by the dog whena working supply of filling is present. in they shuttle, and miscanother position relative to the dog to permit filling replenishmentwhen the filling is substantially exhausted on a detecting beat.

In testimony whereof I have signed my.

name to this speci fication. MELVIN L. STONE.

